Find out what FC Goa coach Manolo Marquez said about upcoming opponents Mohammedan SC

The Spaniard praised his previous and upcoming opponents in the league for their efforts.

FC Goa endured a disappointing start to their campaign in the 11th edition of the Indian Super League (ISL), with a home defeat despite leading 1-0 at halftime. Under the guidance of Manolo Marquez, the team appeared in control during the first half, only to suffer a dramatic comeback inspired by Javier Siverio and Jordan Murray, handing the away side Jamshedpur FC a 2-1 victory.

In the pre-match press conference ahead of FC Goa’s next fixture against Mohammedan SC, Marquez reflected on the loss and acknowledged Khalid Jamil‘s tactical brilliance. He admitted his side had missed a clear opportunity to secure a win. He recalled, “I think that was a clear game to win, very clear in the first half.

If we killed the game in the first half, in my opinion, at halftime, the fairest score was 2(or)3-0 for us,” he said. “It’s true that even in the last minutes of the first half, we didn’t play a good game. But obviously, Khalid was right in the substitution, but it’s not the first time. More times, he risked a lot.”

Manolo Marquez went on to analyze his team’s second-half shortcomings, admitting they failed to capitalize on their early dominance. “We knew that it could happen because we know that when they risk, they risk a lot. But the thing is that we didn’t take the ball, we didn’t pass the ball, we didn’t arrive. Only we arrived in the moment that they scored the second goal,” Marquez explained. “Then suddenly, in the last three minutes, we created two corners and one shot from outside the box. Sometimes you need to manage all the games.”

Marquez now hopes his side can recover and bounce back stronger in their upcoming game against Mohammedan SC. 

Manolo Marquez on the atmosphere around Mohammedan SC

Mohammedan SC, the latest entrants into the Indian Super League, have joined the top tier after an impressive I-League triumph last season. As they gear up to face FC Goa, the Gaurs’ head coach, Manolo Marquez, shared his admiration for the newly promoted team, lauding their passion and performance in their ISL debut.

In the pre-match press conference, Marquez praised the atmosphere surrounding Mohammedan’s first game in the ISL, despite their last-minute setback. “I like everything,” he said. “I like the atmosphere on the pitch, in the stadium, with a lot of people in the stands, which is very good. That was their first game in ISL, and they were unlucky to concede in injury time.”

Marquez also agreed with Mohammedan’s head coach, Juan Pedro Benali, who highlighted in his own press conference that Mohammedan would be a tough opponent this season. “I agree with Juan Pedro Benali. He said Mohammedan would be a tough opponent this season,” Marquez acknowledged. However, he was quick to assert that FC Goa will not make things easy for the Kolkata-based side. “But again, we will be tough for them too,” he added confidently.

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